Necessarily New York is the metropolis." "Oh, everything comes here," said Beaton, impatient of the elder's ponderosity.

Another sort of man would have sympathized with the Southerner's willingness to talk of himself, and led him on to speak of his plans and ideals.

But the sort of man that Beaton was could not do this; he put up the dummy into the wrapper he had let drop on the floor beside him, and tied it round with string while Colonel Woodburn was talking.

He got to his feet with the words he spoke and offered Mrs.
Leighton his hand.
"Must you go ?" she asked, in surprise.
"I am on my way to a reception," he said.

She had noticed that he was in evening dress; and now she felt the vague hurt that people invited nowhere feel in the presence of those who are going somewhere.